Mullet Rock
by Shadowfax220
Summary: After an awsome concert a hunt for a ghost goes terribly wrong and to save Sam Dean must summon a reaper and force her to do his bidding. note some spoilers for In my time of dying.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy their company and play with them. (_sometimes includes pain and torture_)

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter One:**

Sam stepped out of the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist. "Well," he asked Dean who was sitting at the small table clicking away on the laptop. "Did you figure out where we're going next?"

"Sure did!" Dean replied with a grin.

Sam was reaching for his clothes when he heard his brother's reply. He stopped and looked at Dean with suspicion plain on his face. "Where?"

"South Florida," Dean replied innocently. Too innocently.

"What's in South Florida?" Sam asked suspecting he wasn't going to like the answer.

"We are going to take a few days off," Dean smirked.

"Dean…"

"Sam…" Dean imitated his brother's tone of voice so perfectly that Sam had to laugh. "Listen Sam," Dean said. "We've been hunting practically non stop for months. Don't you think we deserve a little time off?"

Sam knew they did and truth be told he'd been thinking about it himself lately. The only reason he hesitated was every time they took time off Dean had some outrageous scheme planned that usually ended up getting them in more trouble then when they were working. And, judging by the innocent look on his brothers' face he suspected this time wasn't going to be any different.

"Come on Sammy! South Florida beaches, girls in bikinis, awesome nightlife," Dean was grinning like a five year old who had just received a cookie. "Let's go relax and have a little fun in the sun!"

Sam couldn't help it and he knew he was going to regret it, but the look on his brothers' face was really all it took to convince him. "Okay, fine," Sam said. "A week Dean, one week."

"Great!" Dean said. "Get dressed, let's go."

"What?" Sam said surprised. "Now?"

"Yeah," Dean replied. "I want to get there by tomorrow night."

"Dean, that's like fifteen hundred miles away," Sam said. "We'll be driving non stop to get there by then."

"Then we best get moving," Dean replied packing up the laptop.

Shaking his head Sam grabbed his clothes and headed into the bathroom to get dressed as Dean started loading their stuff in the car. Within ten minutes they were on the road headed for Palm Beach.

They arrived in West Palm Beach around three in the afternoon the next day. When Dean pulled into a hotel that while not a five star was certainly of a higher standard then they normally used Sam looked at Dean in surprise.

"What?" Dean said. "We're on vacation for a week remember."

Sam grinned at his brother. He knew this was a consolation for him. Dean was making sure he was going to enjoy the stay.

They checked in and carried their bags to the room. Sam lay down on his bed and kicked off his boots.

"Don't get to comfortable," Dean told him. "We have plans for tonight."

"What plans?" Sam asked.

Dean pulled a pair of tickets out of his wallet. "We're going to a concert," he told Sam. "No arguments either I already have the tickets."

"What concert?" Sam asked.

Dean smiled. "Blue Oyster Cult, Styx and Foreigner."

**A/N Hope you enjoyed the start. I'm still not exactly sure where this story is going to take me, but I knowing Dean and Sam it will be a wild ride. Please read and review.**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy their company and play with them. (_sometimes includes pain and torture_)

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Two:**

Sam groaned. The Blue Oyster Cult, Styx and Foreigner? What the hell did they call the concert? The best of Mullet Rock? "Dean I didn't even know the members of those bands were still alive," he said.

Dean looked stricken. "Not alive?" he said. "Of course they're alive." He thought about it for a few minutes then continued, "Well most of them anyway."

"Where is the concert?" Sam asked getting up and digging through his bag. He was going to need a shower before the concert. Thirteen hours nearly non-stop in the car had stiffened his muscles and a hot shower would help to ease the tension.

"Out at the Amphitheater it's only about fifteen minutes away. I got us a pair of VIP tickets."

"Oh," Sam said with a complete lack of enthusiasm. "Great… I bet those were hard to come by."

"Come on Sammy," Dean told his brother. "You're going to have a blast!"

Sam seriously doubted it, but he had to laugh at his brother. Dean was acting like a kid in a chocolate factory. He decided he would try to enjoy himself so his brother could relax and have a good time without worrying about him. "I'm gonna hit the shower, then how about we find something to eat before the concert."

"Sounds like a plan," Dean said opening his own bag and pulling out a change of clothes.

After a good meal from a local steak house, another concession for Sam since Dean would rather have had a burger and fries, the headed off to the concert. At first Sam was impressed with the number of people at the concert. He really didn't expect the amphitheatre to be full, but it was packed. They wandered around the venue while they waited for the seating area to open.

Deciding to grab a couple of beers Dean left Sam leaning against a wall and went to the drink stand. Sam watched as Dean flirted with a half dozen girls that were hanging around the concession stand. They all glanced his way as Dean was talking animatedly to them. Sam rolled his eyes. He was always amazed at his brothers' ability to just walk up, start a conversation with girls and walk away within minutes with a phone number. This time was no exception. He walked back to Sam, handed him a piece of paper and said, "This is from that cute little redhead over there. She wants you to call her later."

"Dean," Sam said in exasperation, "You know…"

"Hey," Dean interrupted shaking his head. "I didn't ask for it. She just gave it to me. I'm just passing along the message" He smirked and pulled a similar piece of paper out of his pocket and said, "This one is mine it's from that smoking' hot blonde."

Sam shook his head as he took the beer his brother offered. The seating area had opened so they went in to find their seats. Sam was impressed to find that VIP seating came with a table for four and had the added bonus of waitress service. They were less then fifty feet from the center of the stage with only a few dozen seats in front and slightly below them.

Sam looked around as the seats began to fill up. By the time the first band took the stage there were hardly any open seats and even the open lawn was full. He took a closer look at the people occupying the seats and realized a very large portion of them either had gray hair or where balding.

"Dude," he told his brother as they searched for their seats. "I think we may be the youngest people here."

Dean looked around. "Hey, old people got to have a little fun too. Besides," he replied smiling, "in case you haven't noticed most of the young ones are chicks."

Sam laughed at his brothers' reply as the announcer introduced Blue Oyster Cult and the band came running out on stage and opened the show with a _Burning for You_. Saying the music was loud would have been like saying the Titanic took on a little water and Sam decided that if most of the people here weren't already deaf they would be by the time they left.

As the first song played most of the people who had not taken their seats began to file in. The table to the left of them was already full. Four grey haired ladies that had to be in their mid fifties were already standing and cheering like teenagers. Dean who occupied the seat closest to them watched in wide eyed surprise as one of them lifted her shirt and revealed her chest to the band.

Sam laughed hysterically as Dean nearly choked on the beer he had been sipping as the woman lifted her shirt. The table beside Sam began to fill up and he glanced over as the band began a new song. The lyrics of _Harvest Moon_ swept over them as he recognized the six girls from the concession stand including the red head who had taken an interest in him. Two of the girls took the empty seats at the brothers table and Sam was not surprised to note that one was the red head and the other a very pretty blonde.

Dean smirked at his brother and leaned close to the blonde and whispered in her ear. She laughed at whatever he had said then leaned into him and spoke in his ear. Dean looked over her shoulder at Sam wiggled his eyebrows as he reached over and put a hand on her narrow waist.

The waitress came around and Dean ordered a bucket of beer. When they arrived he removed one of the four bottles from the bucket, twisted the lid and offered it to the blonde. She took it with a smile and Sam offered another to the redhead. She leaned over close to Sam's ear and said, "Thank you. I'm Allie by the way."

Sam leaned in close to her ear. He was a little stunned when he realized her hair smelled gently of henna. A subtle reminder of Sarah the girl he'd met in upstate New York. "I'm Sam," he replied almost confused by the memory. He smiled at her as he sat back in his chair and watched her as she turned back to the music dancing in her seat.

Dean watched his brother interact with the redhead. It was good to see him enjoying himself in the company of a woman. Granted, it wasn't hot passionate sex, but for Sammy, it was a start. He'd thought after Sarah Sam would be able to relax more and enjoy the company of the opposite sex but something was still holding him back. He could tell his brother liked this redhead so all he could do was wait and see where it went from here.

They were all enjoying themselves, even Sam, as the band played on. Talking was difficult which suited both brothers just fine. They glanced at each other shaking their heads as several songs later the music of the song '_Don't Fear the Reaper' _began. After the events with the faith healer up in Nebraska they had decided that the person who wrote this song was either nuts or high. Of course you should fear the reaper!

Foreigner was on stage and darkness had descended on the amphitheater. Several buckets of beer had already come and gone when the sweet smell of marijuana floated past Dean attracting his attention. He looked around for its source and his jaw nearly hit the table when he saw the little old ladies at the table next to him passing a pipe around. The woman sitting next to him noticed him watching and wiggled her eyebrows at him before offering it to him. He waved off the offer and turned to see his brother nearly doubled over in laughter.

Dean shook his head at his brothers' antics. Sam really was enjoying himself and Dean was glad for it. His brother regained his composure and eyed his brother briefly before turning back to the watch the band on stage. Dean noticed however, that Sam's view of the stage was blocked by the redhead who was standing in front of him her hips swaying practically in his face. He also noticed that his brother seemed very distracted by the small tattoo she had in the center of her back.

Dean stood and up and grabbed the blonde by the waist and danced with her to the lyrics of _Hot Blooded_. He leaned in and whispered a suggestion for after the concert in her ear and she laughed then drew closer to him nibbling on his ear as she replied in a very positive way.

Loud screeching laughter from the table of elderly ladies drew Dean's attention and as he swung his head around to see what the commotion was about he was struck hard in the side of the head by a glass bottle. His grip on the blonde was the only thing that kept him from hitting his knees as the blow brought bright shining stars to his eyes.

Sam heard the screeching and turned just in time to see the old woman closest to his brother lose her balance and send her arms up in an effort to grab something to help stop her fall. Unfortunately she was holding onto a bottle of beer which cracked loudly as it slammed into Dean's head and shattered scattering beer and glass over Dean and the blonde. Dean sagged into the girls' arms and Sam nudged the redhead aside as he leapt to his feet to help his brother.

**A/N Sorry it took so long to post this one, but after watching the season premier I got a bad case of writers block because I was so distracted with the character death. sniffle, sniffle I'd heard they might do it, but… I think it would have been better if he the demon had just wanted him for the purpose of possession instead! **


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy their company and play with them. (_sometimes includes pain and torture_)

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Three:**

Dean's world spun and tilted as pain crashed through his skull. The music fuzzed briefly and he felt strong hands grip him from behind. He was guided gently to the chair he had vacated as he struggled to remain conscious. "Dean," Sam shouted over the blare of the music. "Dean, stay with me!"

Sam was gripping his brothers' shirt holding him upright in the chair. Blood flowed freely down the side of his brother's head and as he watched Deans' eyes became unfocused and rolled back. His head fell forward briefly before bouncing back up and within moments his eyes cleared and he shook his head to clear it too. He raised his hand to his head and pressed it against the site of the injury then pulled it back and looked at the blood that covered his hand. "Sammy," he said looking up at his brother. "What the hell happened?"

A look of relief crossed Sam's face at his brothers' words. "You got creamed by the little old lady sitting next to you," Sam replied with a grin. "She slipped… it was an accident."

"Oh, you poor baby!" the blonde said looking at the blood on Dean's face. "Are you okay?"

Dean gave her a beguiling smile replied, "I'm all good honey it's just a scratch."

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother as event staff and security guards arrived. It took a few minutes to explain what had happened especially since the music continued to play. A first aid staff member arrived and Dean waved him off. "I'm fine," Dean told him.

Sam shook his head at the man and indicated he should stay. Then he leaned in close to his brother and said, "Dean, you're bleeding pretty bad. At least let me look at it."

Dean looked at his brother and realized if they were going to enjoy the rest of the concert he would have to allow someone to look at his injury. He'd rather it be his brother then a stranger. "Whatever dude," he said.

Sam didn't give his brother a chance to change his mind. He checked his brother's injury and with the assistance of the first aid staffer he had it cleaned and bandaged with butterfly tape in minutes.

"Well," Dean asked his brother sarcastically. "Am I going to live doc?"

"Hey," Sam replied smugly. "I'm not the one who nearly got taken down by a little old lady!" Sam turned as he felt a soft hand on his shoulder and found himself just inches from Allie's face. His breath caught in his throat as he looked into her sea green eyes.

She leaned in close to his ear and said, "Is he okay?"

"Yeah," Sam replied. "He's got a hard head." He watched as the staff and security people left allowing them to continue enjoying the concert. When he glanced at his brother he saw the blonde sitting in his lap. Dean looked over the girls shoulder at Sam, raised a single eyebrow and grinned before turning back to the blondes' ear and saying something that made her laugh and snuggle closer.

Dean stayed in his seat and flirted outrageously with the blonde sitting on his lap glancing occasionally at Sam and the redhead. She had somehow enticed his brother to stand up and dance with her. It was something that he had not seen in a very long time. His brother was finally starting to heal.

A new bucket of beer arrived even thought they hadn't ordered it. The old woman sitting next to Dean tapped him on the shoulder and said, "It's from me… my way of saying I'm sorry."

Dean smiled at her and replied, "Thank you, but that wasn't necessary."

The opening tunes to Foreigner's last song, _'Juke Box Hero'_ played the entire audience roared in a thunderous applause and the blonde jumped out of his lap shouting, "I love this song!" Oblivious to the conversation he'd been having she pulled him up and slipped into his arms swaying to the music.

After the song there was a break to set up the stage for Styx and they all took the opportunity to peruse the venue. Dean purchased a few more t-shirts that Sam was sure were going to become his new favorites. He also took the opportunity to see for himself the damage done to his head. He was impressed the old broad sure knew how to wield a beer bottle!

They returned to there seats as Styx took the stage with the song '_Too much time on my hands_'. Sam caught himself watching the audience more often then the stage. It was just as entertaining to watch the antics of the crowed especially when most of them were old enough to be grandparents. There was something about a grey haired elderly man bobbing his head up and down like a teenager at a heavy metal concert that made him laugh… especially when they started waving their canes around.

He was contemplating the fun he was going to have picking on Dean about the concert when the Allie, who had been standing up dancing again, tripped on his extended leg and fell into his lap. His arms wrapped automatically around her keeping her from sliding to the ground. She smiled up at him her sea green eyes glittering from a few to many drinks.

Dean smirked as he saw the red head land in his brothers' lap. He saw them look into each others eyes just before the red head reached up and kissed Sam. He fully expected his brother to pull away from the girls' attention so it came as a bit of surprise to see Sam reach up, place his hands tenderly on her face and deepen the kiss. It was the red head who shyly pulled away from Sam he cheeks flushed. She said something Dean couldn't hear then stood up out of his lap and turned back toward the stage.

Sam had been taken off guard when she'd kissed him. He wasn't used to women throwing themselves at him. That was Dean's area of expertise not his. He found the experience pleasant but in some way unnerving. He chanced a glance at his brother and found Dean staring at him in shocked disbelief. Sam grinned and shrugged his shoulders and he knew he was going to hear more about it later. He stood up and wrapped his arms around Allie as she danced.

The concert ended but they stayed at the table finishing their drinks and waiting for most of the crowd to leave. "Ladies," Dean said. "Would you like to go get something to eat?"

It was Allie who replied "I can't. I'm sorry but I have to be at work early in the morning."

Dean looked at the blonde and asked, "How about you sweetheart?"

"I've got to take her home but, I'll call you after I drop her off…" she said. "Maybe we can get together later?"

Allie stood up to leave and Sam stood also. "Sam, thank you," she said. "This isn't usually my kind of music, but I promised her I'd go with her. I had fun… more fun than I thought I would."

Sam grinned shyly and replied, "Me too."

"You have my number," she asked and when he nodded she continued. "Call me."

Sam reached down and kissed her lightly. "I will," he replied.

They turned to Dean and the blonde. "Come on Sis," Allie said. "I need to get home."

The blonde who had been busy kissing Dean stopped what she was doing with a sigh. "I'll call you," she told him and turned to her sister. "You know, you really know how to kill the mood Allie."

Sam and Dean watched them disappear into the crowed as they finished their drinks. "Did you know they were sisters?" Sam asked.

"Nope," Dean replied. "But it's going to make it so much more fun."

"Dean…" Sam said warningly.

"Come on Sam," Dean said. "How long has it been since we went on a double date?"

"Um… never." Sam replied.

Dean considered his brothers reply raised his eyebrow and replied, "True, but we should fix that."

"Oh, I don't think so!" Sam laughed.

"Why not? I'd be fun."

Somehow Sam didn't think so. He stood up and said, "Come on. You can take me back to the hotel before you meet up with Blondie."

"Sandy," Dean replied standing. "Her name is Sandy."

Sam was about to walk away when he noticed Allie's purse on the ground under her vacated chair. He reached down and picked it up.

"Hey Sammy," Dean said. "That's so you."

Sam rolled his eyes at his brothers' comment. "It's Allie's she forgot it," he told Dean. "You can give it to her sister later."

"Uh huh," Dean replied. "That's not how it works Sam. Don't you know anything?"

"Huh?"

"She obviously left it on purpose," Dean said as they walked back to the car.

"Why would she do that?" Sam asked.

"To give you a reason to call her," Dean told him.

"Oh, come on Dean," Sam said.

"Sorry bro…" Dean said pointing to the purse. "You're on your own with that."

Sam pulled out his cell phone to call Allie and Dean pulled it out of his hand. "What are you doing Sam?" His brother asked.

"I'm going to call her and tell her about her purse," he replied.

"I don't think so," Dean said. "Call her in the morning."

"What? Why?" Sam said. "She'll probably worry all night long about it."

"Yep," Dean replied as they arrived at the car. "And you'll be her hero in the morning."

Sam just shook his head as he got into the car. Why did he always let his brother talk him into these things?

**A/N Sorry it took so long to update. I've been getting ready to go back home to Texas so the next update will come after I get there. Hope you enjoyed it and please review and let me know how I did.**


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything supernatural._

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Four:**

"Hi Allie," Sam said into the phone. "It's Sam."

The sound of his brothers' quiet voice woke Dean. He lay on his bed in the hotel listening to Sam. He knew his brother thought he was still asleep and he didn't do anything to make his brother think otherwise. He could only hear one side of the conversation which could get very annoying.

"What's wrong?" he heard Sam ask. Then after a brief pause he continued. "Oh, wow," he told her. "That must have been terrible. Did you know her?"

Dean had been about to retreat back into sleep when he heard Sam's last statement.

"Did they say how she died?" Sam asked. There was a long pause as she replied. "No, I don't think you're crazy. It um… it doesn't sound that strange to me. Listen, would you like me to come up there? I… we have to get together anyway, you left your purse last night and I…" Sam was silent again as he listened to Allies reply then he said. "Yeah, I know. I tried but my brother has this thing about… well, he can be kind of a jerk sometimes." Sam laughed at her reply then said, "Yeah, I guess they are. But hey, ya gotta love um anyway right." Sam laughed again and after a pause he said, "Okay, Lion Country Safari… I'll find it. I'll see you in a little while."

Dean heard the phone beep and knew Sam had hung up with Allie.

"Get your ass up Dean we need to go," Sam told Dean.

The fact that his brother didn't raise his voice told him that he'd been busted. Sam knew he was awake and heard the conversation. "What happened?" he asked sitting up.

"She works at a gift shop. When she arrived at work today she found a maintenance worker dead inside."

"What happened?" Dean asked.

Sam looked at his brother and replied, "She thinks a ghost killed her."

Dean raised an eyebrow surprised at his brothers' reply. "Come again?"

Sam shrugged, "She said she has proof but the cops won't listen."

Dean got up and rummaged through his bag for something to wear. "What kind of proof?"

"Video," Sam replied.

"That should be interesting," Dean told him. "I'm going to take a shower. I'll be out in a few minutes."

While Dean showered, Sam Googled Lion Country Safari. He got directions and information about the park.

Thirty minutes later they were in the car. Sam had already given Dean directions on how to get to the park. "Okay, so I know you did a little digging while I was getting ready. What'd you find?" Dean asked.

"Nothing," Sam replied. "Other than the occasional animal there haven't been any deaths in the park… ever."

"Park?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," Sam told him. "Allie works at Lion Country Safari. It's a local tourist attraction. Kind of like a drive through zoo."

"A drive through zoo?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, the animals roam free in large paddocks and people drive through and see them."

"What kind of animals?"

Sam grinned at his brother and laughed, "I don't know, I guess lions, maybe some zebra's stuff like that."

"Lions?" Dean asked. "They let lions roam free?"

"I don't know Dean," Sam replied. "We can check it out when we get there."

When they arrived at the park Allie was in the main office speaking with a detective. She was facing away from them when they arrived and she was unaware that they were there. Sam could tell by her body language she was getting agitated with the detective. "Here," she said shoving a CD at the man. "At least look at it. I'm not saying it was a damn ghost, I'm just saying I can't explain it! You're the detective, so you figure it out!"

Shaking her head she turned and stormed away from the officer nearly running right over Sam. He put his hands out catching her shoulders before she could. "Hey," he said.

"Oh Sam," she said surprised. "Sorry I didn't see you. I was having a discussion with stupid over there!" She indicated the detective.

Dean grinned at her she was spunky and anyone with that kind of attitude towards cops was okay as far as he was concerned.

Sam handed Allie her purse and said, "No problem."

"Let me guess," Dean said. "He wouldn't take you seriously as soon as someone mentioned the word ghost."

She laughed. "Yeah," She told him. "As soon as Tommy opened his big mouth and told the fool I was planning on sending it to that tv show ghost hunters. It went down hill from there."

"Sounds interesting," Sam said. "Can we see it or did you give the only copy to him?"

"Yeah," she said with a smile. "Come on, I've got it on my computer in the warehouse."

She led them through the park skirting around the gift shop where the incident occurred. It was taped off with crime scene tape. The brothers glanced at each other knowing if they decided this was something they should be looking into they'd have to come back later tonight and check it out. The warehouse was directly behind the gift shop. It was filled with boxes of t-shirts and other souvenirs. A desk was set up in one corner of the warehouse.

"This is from the surveillance camera we have in the gift shop," she said as she sat down at the desk and opening a video file.

The camera showed the interior of the gift shop. It was dark, most of the lights were off and the time stamp on the bottom of the screen indicated that it was three forty in the morning. The camera panned left and right several times before anything happened and it was obvious that there wasn't anyone in the store. Even thought he was looking for it Dean nearly missed it when something went flying across the room. "Huh," he said.

"Wait," Allie told him. "It gets better."

The first item was quickly followed by several more. Soon the screen was filled with stuffed animals, coffee mugs, t-shirts, and what ever else the gift shop sold as the shelves began to empty and merchandise shot off the shelves and flew around the room.

Allie fast forwarded the video. "There's about forty minutes of this happening and suddenly it just stopped." As they watched the video everything just dropped out of the air and fell to the floor. "When I arrived that morning the place was a real mess so I pulled the video."

"What about last night's surveillance tape?" Sam asked.

"There isn't one," she replied.

"Why not?" Dean asked.

"This," she said indicating the screen, "has happened five times since the first time. The Second time the camera broke when something hit it. We haven't been able to get it fixed yet."

"Well that's helpful," Dean said.

"Yeah, that's pretty much what the cop said."

"So Allie," Sam asked. "What about this morning. What happened?" She sighed and looked away but not before Sam saw the look of revulsion that crossed her face as she was reminded of the incident. "I'm sorry," he said. "If you'd rather not talk about it I understand."

"It's just… I knew her. To find her like that…" she said. "It was horrible. There was blood everywhere. She had cuts all over her body… hundreds of them like someone had taken a knife and just…" She stopped choking back the revulsion at the memory. "If that wasn't bad enough the sick person who did that posed her on the shelf and stuck a price tag on her forehead."

"I'm sorry about your friend," Dean said sympathetically.

"So Allie," Sam asked. "Has anything like this ever happened here before?"

"No," she replied immediately. "I've been working here for eight years and one of my people who has worked here for twenty two years agrees nothing like this has ever happened before."

"Why would you think it's a ghost?" Dean asked. "Has someone died here recently?"

"No, but what else can it be?" she replied. "You saw the video."

"I don't know," Dean replied truthfully.

"Well," she replied. "I'm going to leave it to the cops to figure it out," she said. "I can't deal with it. Hell, right now I don't even want to go in the gift shop ever again."

"Allie," Sam asked. "Did anything ever happen during the day?"

"No," she replied. "What ever was causing it only seemed to do its thing at night. I warned the staff not to go in at night especially alone, but Sally thought I was nuts. She didn't believe in ghosts."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Bet she does now," he muttered.

**A/N Sorry it took so long to post this chapter! I'm back home in Texas and when I arrived I found out that I don't get the CW here! That means no Supernatural! Totally depressing… devastating…. irritating and well… you get it, I'm also going back to work so I won't be able to update as quickly as I have in the past.**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy their company and play with them. (_sometimes includes pain and torture_)

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Five:**

Allie showed them around the park even taking them on the driving tour and showing them the animals that for the most part ranged free around the many acres of the place. They were walking by the gift shop again when Dean noticed that the police had finally left. The yellow crime scene tape was still in place ushering guests away from that part of the park. Dean caught Sam's eye motioned to him that he intended to enter the building.

"Hey Allie," Sam said. "Are you hungry?"

"I… I don't know if I could eat," she told him.

"Come on you need to eat something," Sam said. "I'm buying. What about you Dean?"

"No," Dean replied. "You two go ahead. I ah… I think I'll check out the alligators."

As soon as Allie and Sam were out of sight Dean skirted around to the back of the gift shop, picked the lock and entered the back room. He pulled out his EMF meter and began a slow tour of the building. Nothing was registering on his EMF but that wasn't really surprising since most things only registered on it at night when they were most powerful.

It was a gift shop pretty much like any other he'd ever seen. Not that he'd spent much time in them but still, it had the same thing every other gift shop had. Shelves of souvenirs ranging from coffee mugs to t-shirts with lots of stuffed animals which he guessed made sense since this was an animal park.

It also sported a very unhealthy dose of blood. In fact as he looked around he had a difficult time not stepping in the blood that covered the floor of the gift shop. It was hard to believe that all that could come from one person. There were blood smears and splatters practically everywhere. He saw where the woman's body had been dragged across the floor and placed on a shelf. It was obvious that she was still alive when she'd been set there because of the sheer amount of blood that had dripped from the shelf to the floor.

Dean used the camera on his phone to take pictures of the inside of the gift shop so they could go over them in more detail later. He made sure to take pictures of the contents of the shop too. If it was a spirit attached to something or a cursed object then it had to be something inside the shop, something that had arrived in the shop sometime in the last three or four weeks.

Voices sounded from outside and deciding it was time to leave Dean was headed for the rear entrance when he spotted a section of the gift shop that made him pause and snap off several more pictures. It was an African art section filled with idols, statues, masks and books. "Oh, yeah," he muttered to himself. "If I was a haunted object, this is where I'd be. Talk about creepy."

A key turned in the front door as Dean pulled out his EMF one last time. The barest of beeps on the device was enough to tell him something in this section was more than what it seemed. The door was pushed open and he quietly left out the back and made his way to the alligator pit to meet Sam and Allie.

They weren't there but he spotted them at the petting zoo across from the alligator pit. He smiled as he watched Sam with Allie. She was holding a cup that must have contained food of some sort for the goats and sheep in the pen because they were surrounded by them. One of them stood up on its hind legs putting its front legs on Allie's chest in an attempt to reach the cup. She raised it high over her head and laughed in delight. Sam too was enjoying himself. Dean heard his laugh join hers as a second goat rammed the first one knocking it off Allie. "Are they always this crazy?" he heard his brother ask her.

"No," she replied happily. "This is kind of mild. You should see it when they get the whole herd out here."

"No thanks," Sam laughed. "This is plenty."

Unwilling to interrupt them Dean stood at the alligator pit and for the first time looked at the creatures in the pit. "Damn!" he exclaimed to himself looking at the twelve and fourteen foot creatures in the pit. "I'd hate to come across one of you guys in the wild."

"Don't worry," Allie said walking up to him with Sam in tow. "Most of them don't grow that big. Monty's been here most of his life being hand fed. He hasn't missed any meals."

"That's good to know," Dean said with a grin. "Because I'd hate like hell to come across one of these while I was taking a walk with a pretty girl."

She laughed at him. "Don't go walking in any swamps and you should be okay," she replied. "Listen guys, I really need to get back to work. I appreciate you coming out and listening to me."

"No problem," Dean asked. "Hey Allie, can I ask a question. I know it's kind of morbid, but I'm just curious. What was the price that was stuck on… on the girl that died."

Sam's eyes widened at his brothers heartless question. He had just spent the past hour trying to get the girl to forget about the incident and he brings it back up with a question like that. "Dean," he said warningly to his brother.

"It's okay Sam," Allie said looking at Sam. "I ah… I was curious myself." She turned back to Dean and told him. "It was 1499.99. It was the tag from one of the masks in the African art section, the highest priced object in the store but the price wasn't worth her life."

"No," Dean said seriously. "No amount of money is worth someone's life."

"You guys enjoy the park I've really got to get back to work," she said. "Sam, call me. I'm off at six."

Dean watched his brother watch Allie walk away. Sam's eyes stayed on the girl's rump as she sashayed away. She turned back to look at him once more just before turning a corner and disappearing out of sight. "Damn if that wasn't a walking invitation," Dean told Sam clapping him on the back. "That girl's got it bad for you Sammy!"

Deciding not to pursue that line of conversation Sam changed the subject. "So what'd you find out?"

"Not much," he replied as they headed for the parks exit. "I didn't get anything on the EMF except a single chirp at the African art section. I'm thinking something there is cursed."

"Yeah," Sam said. "I bet the EMF will be lit up like a Christmas tree when we come back tonight."

"She said the price tag came off one of the masks," Dean said. "You need to see what you can find out about them. Oh… and see if Allie can tell you which mask it came from."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"She said call her," Dean replied with a grin. "So call her. Taker her out tonight and see what else you can find out."

"You mean use her," Sam replied stiffly as he approached the passenger side door of the Impala.

"No," Dean explained reaching for the handle on the driver's side and looking at his brother over the roof of the car. "I mean get the information necessary to save her life. Sam, sometimes the people we save have to help, whether they know they're doing it or not."

Sam ran his hand through his hair and sighed. This was the part of the job he hated the most. Lying and subterfuge to get the answers required to accomplish the jobs. He understood the need but that didn't make it any easier. A thought occurred to him as he opened the door and got in the car. "What are you going to be doing while I do all the research on this one?"

"Sandy," Dean replied.

"What about her?" Sam asked. "You have a date?"

"Not exactly," his brother replied. "You asked what I was going to be doing. I'm going to be doing…"

"Dean!" Sam exclaimed. "Do not finish that sentence."

"Sandy," Dean said ignoring his brother.

**A/N I know, I know. It's taking me way to long to complete the chapters now that I'm back home. There are so many distractions here! Including my two year old little niece who is already a big fan of Sam and Dean! She loves supernatural as much as I do and it's so cute when one of the boys gets hurt she throws her hands in the air and yells, "Oh, No! Oh, no!" Then when she sees they are find she lets out this exaggerated sigh that makes me laugh.**


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy their company and play with them. (_sometimes includes pain and torture_)

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Six:**

Dean had been gone nearly seven hours. Sam and Allie had met at the restraunt across the street from the motel and had dinner. Dean would be disappointed to learn that nothing else had happened, but for Sam it was enough. A pleasant evening spent in the company of a beautiful woman was more then Sam had allowed himself since the job in upstate New York where he'd met Sarah.

They spoke only very briefly about the incident. Just enough for Sam to learn that she could only tell him the mask the price tag had come from was big and ugly. They'd had dinner and several beers spending nearly three hours talking about everything from the concert to annoying older siblings. It was almost laughable how similar Sandy and Dean acted towards each of them. It was after ten when Sam walked Allie to her car. They shared a long lingering kiss before she got in and drove away leaving Sam with a smile on his face and promising they would get together again the following day.

Sam walked back to the room and spent the next hour and a half surfing the net looking for information on African Masks. Some of the things he discovered made his skin crawl just thinking about them. He always had a hard time figuring out why anyone would willingly call evil spirits from the netherworld.

"So what did you find?" Dean asked walking into the motel room and tossing his keys on the counter. He'd been half hoping not to find his brother here doing exactly what he was doing. He would have much preferred to find him still out with Allie.

"To much," Sam replied.

Dean frowned. "What's that supposed to mean."

"It means," Sam said. "That without more information on the mask I have no idea what we are up against."

"How's that?"

"These masks were made for so many different reasons it could be cursed because that's what it was made for or it could be a simple haunting. You know a spirit attached itself to the mask and follows it where ever the mask goes."

"What are you talking about?"

"Each mask is made for a specific purpose. Some were made to use in official ceremonies like weddings, funerals, to cure illness or for rights of passage initiating boys to men. Those are some of the mild ones. Others were made to protect the people from evil spirits and to communicate with ancestors and spirits."

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad," Dean said. "Except maybe the communicating with spirits part, that's normally not a good idea."

"Uh huh," Sam replied. "Then you get to the more malevolent uses like calling and holding evil spirits to use their powers of destruction or putting a curse on someone. Some were even used as mediators between the living world and the supernatural world of the dead and other entities."

"Okay," Dean said. "That's not good. How are we supposed to know what this one is used for?"

"I have no idea. There were like two dozen masks in the pictures you took we don't even know which one it is."

"Didn't you talk to Allie?" Dean asked.

Sam smiled and looked away leaving Dean to believe they may have done more then just talk. His brother though was not one to share that kind of event so he'd have to ask Sandy. On second thought he better not. Sandy was a bit to overprotective of her little sister. When she found out that Sam and Allie were getting together tonight too Dean had to assure the girl that Sam would not take advantage of her sister. For goodness sake the girl was twenty two years old and her sister didn't think she could take care of herself.

"The only thing she could tell me about it was that it was big and ugly," Sam replied.

"Not much help there," Dean said. "Guess we do this the old fashioned way then. Let's go figure out which one it is, grab it and burn it."

"Dean," Sam cautioned. "That might not work remember the painting in New York."

"You got any better ideas?"

"No," Sam said.

"Then let's just go get this done so we can get back to our little vacation," Dean told him.

They parked the car at the KOA camp grounds just outside the gates of the park and made their way in on foot. "Allie said there's only one security guard in here at night," Sam told his brother. "She also said he's pretty freaked out about the murder and won't go near the gift shop… seems the guys a bit superstitious."

"Good for us," Dean said making his way through the park towards the back of the gift shop. "That makes our job a bit easier."

Sam picked the lock while Dean stood guard with the shotgun. It took less then thirty seconds for Sam to pick the lock and open the door. He knew there was no security system and the camera was still not working so they were relatively safe from outside interference while they worked.

He pocketed the lock picking tools and took the shotgun from Dean who reached into his jacket pocket for his EMF. The second he turned it on it started going haywire. "Oh yeah," he told Sam entering the building. "This is going to be fun. Come on the stuff we're looking for is right over here."

"Damn," Sam said looking at the things that adorned the table. "How much do you want to bet they don't even know what most of this stuff is or what it's used for?"

Dean, who was busy using his EMF to pinpoint the mask in question answered, "No bet. Whoever put this collection together didn't have a clue. If they did they probably wouldn't have…" He stopped mid sentence as the EMF suddenly increased the noise and light show. Dean was holding the device right in front of the biggest mask on the wall.

"Allie was right," Sam said. "It's ugly."

The mask was made of wood. It was nearly a two feet tall and depicted a nearly human face. Horns swept down on each side of the face. Some kind of plant was used as hair and was spread out behind the mask almost like a grotesque halo. It had a crown of Cowry shells on its head and the same shells were used to form the teeth within its mouth. A white line stretched from the top of the masks forehead to the bottom of its chin and a large tongue hung from its mouth twisting off to the side as though it was blowing in the wind.

Sam reached for the mask intending to put it in the duffle bag he was carrying. He pulled it off the wall but before he could get it into the bag he knew something was wrong. His arm went numb and he could not let the mask go. "Dean…" he said in despair, but before he could say anything else pain exploded in his head as something tried to force its way into his mind. Dropping the shotgun he fell to his knees still gripping the mask and through the pain he watched in horror as his arm began to raise itself to place the mask on his face.

As soon as Sam uttered his name Dean knew his brother was in trouble. He was looking Sam in the eye when he literally saw the pain hit his brother so hard it knocked him to his knees. Dean tried knocking the mask out of his brother's hand but Sam wouldn't or couldn't let go. Then Sam began to lift the mask to his face. "Oh, no Sammy," he said as he pushed his brothers arm back down. "That's not a good idea."

Sam knew his bother was speaking to him, but he couldn't hear what he was saying. The pain in his head increased and a strange chanting began in a language he did not understand. His eyes were open but he saw nothing as he fought with the thing trying desperately to enter his mind. Even the visions didn't bring this kind of pain it felt as though someone had stuck an ice pick in his head and was painfully heating the thin metal blade.

Dean was struggling to keep the mask off his brothers' face when he was suddenly picked up and thrown across the length of the gift shop. He was slammed into a shelf head first. His eyes clouded as darkness began to close in but he shook his head to clear it refusing the freedom of unconsciousness and climbed back to his feet.

Sam fought the pain and the intrusion. Sweat poured down his forehead and he struggled to keep from passing out. He wasn't aware of what happened to his brother. He wasn't even aware he was lifting the mask towards his face. A sudden fire ripped thought his mind engulfing him in an intense pain that sent him reeling away.

Dean turned back to look at his brother. Sam was on his feet again the mask firmly affixed to his face. He turned to look in Dean's direction but it wasn't his brother's eyes that looked out of the mask at him instead eyes of flame danced in their place.

**A/N And now the real fun begins... Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy their company and play with them. (_sometimes includes pain and torture_)

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Seven:**

"No Sammy," he whispered, then raised his voice and demanded, "Sam you fight this! Don't you let it take over." He strode towards his brother but didn't even make it halfway across the floor before he was picked up again and thrown back the way he'd come by the same invisible force that attacked him moments before. He landed in a crouch this time facing his brother. "Damn it Sammy," he said. "Fight it!"

"Your brother is gone," a voice that was not Sam's said from behind the mask.

"Like hell he is," Dean exclaimed. "You get the hell away from him." He was slowly making his way closer to his brother. If necessary he would knock him out until he could figure out what to do.

Sam reached up and lifted the mask from his face and looked at it. "This has been my prison for far too many centuries," he said in the same deep voice. "Now it is his."

Dean stopped in his tracks. "What?" Dean asked shocked.

"He is now locked to the mask as I was," it said. "He is weak, even with his abilities it was a simple thing to switch places with him. Do they not teach those like him to use their gifts in this century?"

"I'm going to teach you how I use my gifts if you don't release my brother," Dean said forcefully.

The thing tilted Sam's head and looked at Dean, "What gifts can you possibly have that could equal mine?"

"I have a brain for one," Dean replied sarcastically as he approached his changed brother. Now within striking distance Dean leapt and tackled his brother dropping them both to the floor. Dean pinned his brother down but before he could do more he was thrown again across the room again.

"You can not win against me," it said. "Why do you fight?"

Dean didn't answer instead he picked himself up and stalked slowly towards his brother again.

The creature looked around the gift shop. "What is this place?"

"A store," Dean answered as he got within striking range of his brother. "What's your name?"

"You may call me, Kindoki. That is what they called me when last I walked this world."

"Un huh, well Kindyke," Dean said sarcastically as he swung a hook punch. "You aren't staying!"

He struck with enough force to knock his brother out cold. At least he was sure it would have if it had landed but he was stopped suddenly by an invisible force. His fist was inches from Kindoki's face but Dean could not finish the punch. He couldn't move at all. Looking into the eyes of the creature he noticed that they were no longer the fiery eyes of the thing that had stolen his brothers' form. Instead they were the green-blue eyes of his brother.

"You son of a bitch," Dean said angrily. "You let him go!"

"I am afraid that is no longer possible," Kindoki replied. "It has taken me more then a hundred years to gather the power to return and your brother does not have that kind of power."

Kindoki walked around the gift shop leaving Dean unable to move.

"This world has changed much while I was trapped," Kindoki said as he looked at the items in the store. "I will need a guide to teach me the things I need to know." He walked back to Dean and stood in front of him. "You will be my guide."

"Screw you," Dean said struggling to break free of the invisible force that held him.

"You are not thinking clearly, do not let anger cloud your judgment," Kindoki replied. "You will act as my guide," it said then came and stood in front of Dean holding a spear he'd picked up in the store. "And if you should choose not to be my guide you will die."

Dean hated it, but the thing was right. He needed to stay close if he was going to fix this. "Fine I'll help you," Dean replied then thought about it for a few seconds. "But I want something in return."

Kindoki laughed, "I am already granting you your life what more do you want?"

"The mask," Dean told him. If he was going to save his brother he'd need to be able to switch them back.

"There is nothing you can do to save your brother from this fate. He is but a child in his powers, not strong enough to perform the ritual to steal the soul of another and inhabit their body." Dean was suddenly released from his bonds and the mask was handed to him. "But you may have the mask as a reminder of your lost brother. It is of no consequence to me."

Dean wasn't sure how yet, but he intended to find a way to save his brother and send this thing back where it came from or better yet send it to hell where it belonged.

The front door of the gift shop rattled as someone pulled on them. Dean grabbed his brothers' shirt and pulled him into the darker end of the gift shop as the security guard looked in the windows. "Damn it," he said gathering the gun and duffle bag that Sam had dropped. Putting the mask in the duffle bag he said. "It's time to go."

"Why do you hide?"

"Look Kindyke," Dean said. "There's a lot you don't know so just follow my lead on this."

"It's Kindoki."

"Yeah, whatever," Dean told it. "Come on and stay quiet."

They left out the back of the building and made their way back towards the car. When they reached the Impala Dean tossed the bag in the back seat. "Get in," he told Kindoki as he opened the door and got in the drivers side.

Kindoki stood outside the car looking stupidly for a way to open the door.

"Come on!" Dean shouted. "We need to shag ass."

"What is this?" Kindoki asked through the window.

"It's my car, now get in!" Dean practically shouted at him.

"How?"

Frustrated Dean reached over, opened the door and grumbled, "Get in the car you idiot!"

Kindoki got awkwardly in the car attempting to stretch his legs out and get comfortable. "I don't seem to fit properly," he said looking at Dean.

"Yes you do," Dean said angrily. "Sam fit, so you will too. Now shut the hell up and let me drive."

"You seem to be angry," Kindoki said. "You will need to learn to control your anger if you are to be my guide."

Dean looked at the thing without comment, reached over, turned on the radio and put in his favorite Metallica tape. He turned up the music and drowned out any further comments from the bastard that had stolen his brother's body. There was a way to switch them back. There had to be.

**A/N Seems like it's taking longer and longer to get these chapters done… Hope you enjoyed this one. Thanks for taking the time to read and please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy their company and play with them. (_sometimes includes pain and torture_)

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Eight:**

Dean parked the car at the hotel and turned off the engine. He had spent the drive back to the motel trying to come up with a plan but he needed to do a lot more research before he was going to be able to fix this. Research he would have to do alone without the creature that had stolen his brothers' body looking over his shoulder. That meant the thing had to be distracted or better yet contained in some way and he knew just how he was going to accomplish that.

"Are you hungry?" Dean asked the creature.

"Yes, I believe this body could use nourishment," Kindoki replied.

They got out of the car and entered the room. Dean turned on the light as they entered and Kindoki followed him inside. Dean closed the door and turned on the television. "Watch this and learn all you want about this century," he told it.

"Amazing," Kindoki said as he watched. "What is this?"

"It's a television," Dean told it. "Now be quiet and watch while I order us something to eat." He called and ordered the pizza before pulling a few drinks out of the room's small refrigerator. Kindoki was engrossed in the television enabling Dean to crush a double dose of sleeping pills and put them into its drink.

The pizza arrived and Dean put the drink and a few slices of pizza next to Kindoki and watched as he consumed the doctored meal.

Within an hour Sam's prone form lay quietly on the bed while Dean checked to ensure his pulse was strong. He wasn't sure what would happen if the thing died while his brother was trapped in the mask, but he wasn't taking any chances.

Dean out Sam's new laptop turned it on and began surfing the net. He shot off e-mails to Bobby and Ash explaining the situation and asking for any information they might have that could help. With any luck at all between the three of them they'd find something that could help.

First he pulled up his brother's file on this hunt and read everything his brother had discovered. His brother was right there was just too much information on sacred masks for him to have narrowed down the search… until now. Now that he had more information he found one paragraph that caught his attention.

_As these ceremonial masks are held to be of great spiritual power, it is considered a taboo for anyone other than specially trained persons to wear or possess certain masks. These masks each are thought to have a soul, or life force, and wearing these masks is thought to transform the wearer into the entity the mask represents. Chief among the concerns of many Shaman is the evil art of soul stealing. Many Shaman knowing the dangers of keeping the souls too long in the masks, wear amulets to protect them against having their souls stolen during cermonies. However, since very few Shaman know the art of making the amulets they are extremely rare and hard to find._

Dean knew this was what had happened with his brother. He also knew it could have been prevented if he had been the one to handle the mask. He pulled his amulet off his neck and looked at it. "Damn Sammy," he said to himself guiltily. "I could have handled the mask without anything happening if we'd just known about it." He looked at his brothers sleeping form on the bed furthest from the door.

Replacing the amulet he stood and walked over to his brother. "Don't worry Sammy," he said. "I'm going to make this right." He took off his brother's shoes and covered him with the blanket before moving to the duffle bag and pulling out the mask.

"Ugly is an understatement," he said out loud to himself. "Sammy… I don't know if you can hear me in there, but don't worry, I'm going to find a way to get you out of there." He set the mask down on the table and went back to his research this time looking for information on soul switching and soul retrieval. There was really very little information on the subject anywhere.

He found a few indications that from a shamanic point of view that the soul may split off from the body or become dissociated when someone experiences trauma or abuse. The soul that splits off slips into the spirit realm and becomes lost or stuck. When this happens it leaves an opening with the body that any lost soul can fill. The shaman can journey to the spirit realm on behalf of the client to retrieve the lost soul and fill the opening within the body which will restore the person. The problem with his brother though is that another soul has already taken up residence in his brother's body and he needed to find a way to switch them.

He pulled out his father's journal and began leafing though it hoping to find something that might help. He was about half way through when the laptop beeped at him indicating a new e-mail message had been posted. Setting down his father's journal Dean opened the e-mail.

It was from Ash. Dean's face paled as he read the note.

_Dean,_

_You guys really get into some sticky situations but I think maybe I have a solution. It's not going to be fun and it borders on evil, but I know what you'd be willing to do for your brother. I ran a world wide search for a shaman capable of performing a ritual soul switch but I couldn't find even the slightest sign of there being one. There is one other thing that may be able to do what needs to be done. _

_You aren't going to like it, but a reaper takes souls all the time and there are a few rituals out there in the dark arts that are capable of forcing a reaper to switch the souls that it takes._

_I'll keep looking for other options. _

_Good luck_

_Ash_

Dean pulled out his father's journal and opened it to the page that held the information on reapers. Ash was right, there was a very good chance that a reaper would be able to do it but after his last brush with a reaper Dean wasn't sure he wanted to even think about it. He didn't remember any part of his hunt for the reaper when he was in the coma after the accident but Sam had assured him he had been hunting one. Then when his dad had died and he had been healed but he'd felt so wrong… it was the same feeling he'd had when he'd been healed by the faith healer up in Nebraska.

He spent the next six hours searching for any other way of switching his brother and Kindoki back to where they belonged but without success. Bobby replied with pretty much the same thing that Ash had said but still Dean looked for another way.

Kindoki had begun to stir less then an hour ago and Dean had again crushed the pills and mixed them in a drink. Thankfully the creature was too groggy to realize what was happening as Dean held the cup up and helped it drink.

After two more hours of searching, Dean gave up on finding another way to save his brother. He looked at the mask that held his brother's soul. He had to try it no matter what it cost him he had to save his brother. He got up and walked over to his brothers' duffle bag and dug around inside. "Come on Sammy, I know you saved the damn thing where'd you put it?"

After a few more minutes of searching he found the little black book he'd been searching for. He opened it up and realized it still held the clippings of the people Roy's wife had deemed wicked and killed using the reaper she had bound to her.

Sighing heavily Dean opened the dark book and started reading.

**A/N - I can not belive how long it took me to get this chapter completed! But it's finally done after my two year old niece not only deleted my file but some how remapped my laptop's keyboard. (That took me a while to figure out how to fix!) But here you go! Hope you enjoy it, review and let me know and thanks for taking the time to read.**


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy torturing them from time to time.

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Nine:**

Some time later Dean set the book down. He covered his eyes with his hand, sighed and nervously he rubbed his hand down his face. This was going to be dicey and he was going to need some seriously dark supplies to pull it off along with a quiet place to work. This wasn't something he'd be able to do here in the motel room either.

He picked up the local newspaper and searched through the classified section looking for an old warehouse for sale or rent. He called on a few of them gathering as much information about the warehouse district as he could. He had a couple of possible places he could perform the ritual but he'd need to check them out before he decided which one would work best.

Next he pulled the local phone book out of the drawer by the nightstand. With the large Haitian population in the area he was able to find several stores that specialized in the things he'd need. A few phone calls later and he found everything he'd need, prepaid for them using a credit card and had them packaged up so all he'd have to do now was stop by and pick them up.

Dean gathered the mask and all the supplies he was going to need to take with him and put them all in one of their small duffle bags. Then took out a bottle of water spilled out half, crushed up some more sleeping pills and added them to the water. He added the doctored drink to the duffle bag then carried it out to the car.

Entering the hotel room after packing the car he looked at the sleeping form of his brother on the bed. He checked his brothers' pulse and breathing to be sure there was no ill effects from the drugs he'd been pumping into him. "Come on little brother," he said once he was sure his brother was okay. "You're next." He pulled Sam up into a sitting position and lifted his brother onto his shoulders. "Geez Sam when did you get so heavy," he said as he carried him out to the car and set him down in the passenger seat.

Dean climbed into the driver's seat and headed for his first stop. Parking in front of the shop where he'd purchased the items he needed he looked at his brother's form still sleeping in the passenger seat. He reached back into the duffle in the back seat and pulled out a pair of hand cuffs and cuffing his brothers' arm to the door handle he said, "Sorry Buddy, but if you wake up I don't want you wondering off on me now do I."

He was in and out of the shop in less then ten minutes. His brother had not stirred while he was inside the store. He put his purchases in the back seat. There were a few things he needed that he could not pick up at the shop. For those items he stopped at a local funeral home and after picking the lock and letting himself inside he searched the place until he found the final and most gruesome items he needed to complete the ritual to call the reaper to him.

Kindoki was beginning to stir when he arrived back at the car and set his grim acquisitions into the back seat. He pulled out the drink he'd prepared earlier and tried to force the creature to drink. This time though Kindoki struggled harder, fighting the process. Dean found himself sitting on his brothers' lap forcing the liquid down his throat.

A black eye and a few bruises later Dean was standing outside the car waiting for drugs to take effect while Kindoki struggled to stay awake. The creature had not used its telekinetic abilities in the car and Dean wondered if that was because the drugs suppressed the ability. Once he was sure Kindoki was back in his drug induced sleep Dean got and in and headed towards the warehouse district to search for a place to work.

The old run down warehouse he'd chosen to use was large enough to pull his car into and had a room he could use to lock Kindoki in until he was needed for the transfer. From the look of place it hadn't been used for several years and even the for sale sign out front was broken and worn.

He found a table in one of the offices and pulled it out to the center of the warehouse floor to use as the alter. Slowly, methodically he began setting out the things he was going to need and prepared the alter for use. He carved the necessary symbols onto the table and covered it with the silk cloth required for the ritual. He set the candles, herbs, crosses and challises in the proper places and pulled out the skull he'd retrieved from the funeral home.

Pulling out the black book he reviewed his work and decided he was just about ready. He lit the candles and the alter only needed one more thing before he could begin the chant that would call the reaper to him. It needed blood, fresh blood. Pulling out the knife he'd brought along for just this reason he held the knife in his right hand and drew it across the palm of his left hand slicing into his skin deep enough to draw the rich dark fluid that dripped down onto the skull.

Wrapping his hand quickly he began the chant that he hoped would save his brother's life and soul.

Wind swirled through the warehouse ruffling Dean's hair and stirring loose papers and leaves on the floor. His eyes widened as a chill swept over him but still he continued the chant. A white misty form swept into the room circling him several times before stopping before him. The ghost like being solidified before him becoming a pretty young woman. She seemed for some reason, to appear familiar to him.

"Dean," she said as she solidified. "What are you doing?"

Memories buried deep suddenly flooded his mind and he realized he knew this reaper. "Tess," he said anger seething just below the surface. This was the reaper that had taken his father instead of him. He'd been ready… he remembered he'd been about to tell her he'd chosen to go with her when the lights in the room had began to flicker. He choked down his anger deciding to use what happened in the past to try and force the reaper to help him. He didn't want to bind her, not if he could help it. But he would, if he had to.

Tess looked at the alter Dean had created shaking her head. "Why?" she asked.

"Because I made a choice," he told her recalling her words from the night his father had died.

"What do you mean?" Tess asked.

"I mean back then… I made a choice. I was ready. I would have gone with you. I should have been the one to die. Like you said, it was my time."

"Dean… I can't bring him back. It's too late for that," she said sadly. "You need to let me go."

"Hm… what did you call this?" he told her coldly. "Oh yeah, stage three… bargaining."

"Look Dean," She said. "You can't keep me here I have a job to do… an important job that needs to be done."

Dean laughed at her. "Your job is done," he told her throwing her own words back at her. "Nothing you can do about it... until I release you. If I release you."

Wind swirled around him and objects began to fly in circles surrounding them. "Release me!" she demanded in anger.

Dean smirked at her, "Oh no, it's not going to be that easy. You owe me and I'm here to collect."

**A/N Hope you are enjoying it! Please read and review.**


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy torturing them from time to time.

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Ten:**

"I don't owe you anything," she stormed objects flying past him but none striking him. "You have what you wanted. You are still alive."

"I never wanted this, never. My father is dead… his life traded for mine," he said. "That was never a choice I would have made… one you shouldn't have allowed."

The room suddenly calmed. The reapers features softened and she shook her head. "Dean," she said sadly. "It was never your choice to make. It was his."

"No it wasn't," Dean said repressed feeling surging again to the surface. "I was dead, I should have stayed dead."

Tess sighed. "Of all my charges, your family never fails to amaze me," she told him with a smile. "You are all so caring… so self sacrificing. Do you know how rare that really is?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Dean," she said. "So few people now would be willing to die for another. Most people say they would, but when it comes down to it… they won't, even for someone they love. But your family… every one of you; place your lives on the line for other people… most of the time its people you don't even know. Why do you do it?"

Dean shrugged, "Family business," he said giving her his standard answer.

She looked at him quizzically for a moment understanding it was something he wouldn't speak about. Then she asked, "Why have you summoned me?"

"I need your help," he told her.

"With what?" she asked.

Before Dean could answer the door to the room he'd locked Kindoki in slammed open with a bang. Both he and Tess turned at the sudden sound. "With that," he said as Kindoki stepped out of the room glaring at Dean.

The creature who took his brother's body looked around the near empty warehouse his gaze coming to rest on the alter Dean had created. "What are you doing?" it asked.

"He is… wrong," Tess said watching Sam/Kindoki approach. "I see now why you summoned me but Dean, all I can do is take the soul occupying that body. It should have been claimed a long time ago. Your brother's soul is not there."

Dean reached for the mask he'd left in the duffle bag. "I know," he said showing her the mask. "That thing has somehow locked my brother in here."

Tess recoiled at the sight of the mask horror plain on her face. "Such evil has not been allowed for centuries," she said.

Dean did not get a chance to reply. "I said," Kindoki shouted. "What are you doing?" And Dean was lifted and flung across the warehouse to smash painfully against one of the support pillars scattered across the room. The mask flew from his hand and skittered across the warehouse.

"What do you think I'm doing asshole," he said struggling to his feet. "I'm going to send you back where you belong."

"You can not defeat me," Kindoki told Dean picking him up and sending him careening across the room again.

This time his head connected with front bumper of his car. Unconsciousness threatened to take him as Dean felt something wet and warm running down his face. Shaking off the darkness he used his car for support climbing back onto his feet. His stood, palms flat on the hood of his car. "Sorry about that girl," he mumbled to his car before turning and facing Kindoki again.

"If you're going to help," Dean said to Tess. "Now would be a good time to start."

"Who are you speaking to?" Kindoki asked looking around the room. His eyes came to rest again on the alter Dean had built. "What have you summoned," he asked looking around and picking up the knife Dean had used to provide the blood for the alter.

Dean didn't reply as he realized it could not see Tess. Dean stalked slowly towards Kindoki. "Someone that can save my brother," Dean said as he watched Tess beyond Kindoki.

She had followed the mask across the floor. She bent down and lifted it shaking her head. Her hand waved over the mask with her eyes closed. "You poor boy," she said quietly. "How could anyone do this to such a good soul?" Then she opened her eyes and glared at Kindoki.

Dean was almost close enough to strike when Kindoki picked him up again this time tossing him onto the alter where he landed painfully on his back. The contents of the alter scattered across the floor. "No!" Dean shouted as he watched Tess slowly fade away and disappear from sight.

"Now," Kindoki said raising the knife. "I will finish you," he said as he drove the knife down towards Dean's heart.

Dean rolled away from Kindoki but wasn't fast enough to avoid the knife strike completely and he grunted as it sank painfully into his chest. He felt it glance off his ribs and rip across his side as he continued to roll away from Kindoki. He slid off the table on the side opposite Kindoki gripping his side in an attempt to stop the blood that was now flowing freely down his side. "Son of bitch," he grumbled. As he scooted further away.

The table was lifted and flung aside and Kindoki approached the knife in his hand dripping with Dean's blood as he raised it for a second strike.

Dean kicked out with his legs sweeping Kindoki from his feet and knocking him down to the ground. The knife clattered to the ground as he lost its grip on it and Dean kicked it away from them and jumped on his brothers' chest in an attempt to pin him down. With Tess gone he had no idea how he was going to complete the exchange of souls but if he could knock out Kindoki then maybe he could rebuild the alter and call Tess back.

Kindoki laughed at him, "Are you ever going to learn? You can not defeat me." Dean raised his fist to strike and was thrown away again. This time he landed on the windshield of his car the glass shattering and tumbling him partially into the car.

Bleeding now from numerous cuts he could feel the loss of blood weakening him. He struggled to free himself from the wrecked windshield before Kindoki reached him. This fight had end. He needed to finish it soon or he was going to have another visit from Tess… one that he didn't want.

Finally freeing himself from the car he took a wobbly step in Kindoki's direction and stopped as saw the mask floating towards Kindoki. He was certain that Kindoki was not in control of the mask because it was coming from behind him. Which meant that Tess was still here, the destruction of the alter only causing Dean to be unable to see her and since he had not bound her she was free to do as she pleased.

"Now," Kindoki said to Dean. "It is time to end this once and for all."

Dean was shoved hard against the closest pillar, his head and back striking hard enough to knock the breath out of him. If it wasn't for Kindoki holding him upright he would have fallen to the floor on impact. As he struggled to catch his breath he watched the mask reach Kindoki.

"Who are you?" Kindoki said to someone Dean couldn't see. "No!" It shouted.

His brother's head bent back away from the reaper only he could see and Dean was released. His legs no longer able to hold him he slid slowly to the ground his back against the pillar. Dean saw his brother's form fall to its knee's as his vision darkened and he sank slowly into unconsciousness.

**A/N – Wow… Another chapter done! Thanks for reading and I hope you are enjoying it! Please review and let me know how I'm doing.**


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy torturing them from time to time.

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Eleven:**

A blinding white light shot through him releasing him from the burning pain that had held him for so long. He gasped and opened his eyes. He found himself on his knees staring up into the brown eyes of a pretty brunette who held his face in her hand. "Your brother needs you Sam," she said before fading away into nothing. He fell forward landing on his hands breathing heavily in an attempt to ward off the memory of the pain he been locked into for what had seemed like eternity.

Finally he rose back to his knees and looked around. He found himself in a large building that might, at some time in the past, have been a warehouse. "What the hell?" he mumbled struggling to his feet. He felt so weary, drained both physically and mentally. He looked around. The mask that he and his brother had been looking at in the gift shop lay at his feet. He made no move to touch it this time recalling the pain it caused the last time.

The remains of an alter were scattered across the floor and the impala was parked inside the confines of the building its windshield shattered. Sam walked towards the car. "Dean," he called looking at the car noting the blood on the shards of the windshield still attached to the frame.

His foot kicked something on the floor and his eyes watched as a bloodied knife skittered away from him. He followed it, bent down and picked it up a worried frown on his face. Sam turned nearly a full circle searching the warehouse for his brother. "Oh God," he said his face loosing all it's color as he spotted his brothers bloodied and still form laying near a pillar.

"Dean," he shouted as he lunged towards his brother praying he wasn't too late. Relief surged through him as Dean opened his eyes but it was quickly replaced with confusion as his brother's agonized face contorted into fear. Dean looked from his brother's face to the knife Sam still held in his hand and scooted painfully away from him. "Dean," Sam said dropping the knife immediately. "It's okay… it's me what the hell happened? Where are we?"

"Sam," Dean whispered hardly daring to believe it was true. "Sammy, is it really you?"

Sam tilted his head looking worriedly at his brother. "Yeah, it's me," he said checking his brothers' injuries he found numerous cuts that probably came from the windshield. Those didn't worry him nearly as much as the knife wound that ran from his chest to his side. "Damn Dean," he said tearing off one of his shirts and using it to put pressure on the bleeding injury. "We're going to need to get you to the hospital. I can't fix this myself."

It was a testament to how badly Dean was injured that his only protest was a grunt that came out sounding more like a moan then a reply. Sam gently lifted his brother to a standing position taking most of his weight even though he was weary himself. He helped his brother into the back seat of the impala wanting to avoid anymore glass injuries. He brushed the glass from the drivers' seat and found the keys in the ignition.

It wasn't a pleasant drive to the hospital but if the windshield had not been busted Sam didn't know if he'd have been able to stay awake long enough to get them there. For some reason his body was weary beyond belief. "Hold on Dean," he said to his brother who lay now unconscious in the back seat. Flooding Sam with memories of when the demon had attacked leaving Dean in a similar position.

He pulled into the ambulance bay at the hospital the cars horn blaring in a demand for help. Putting the car into park he got out. Staggering and leaning heavily on the Impala he dragged himself to the back door. "Dean," he said opening the door. He got no response from his brother. "Dean," he said more forcefully leaning in to the car towards his brother. "Come on man I need you to wake up."

"What happened?" asked someone behind Sam as he was gently but firmly pushed away from the cars doorway.

"I don't know," he said truthfully to weary to come up with a likely story. "I found him like this… you've got to help him… please."

The man leaned into the car and gave Dean a cursory examination as several other people came out with a gurney. In just a few minutes his brother was rushed into the emergency room and Sam was left standing outside with the car. The words of the medical team hung in the air, terms like penetrating wound, massive blood loss, and severe laceration bounced around in his head as he sat in the impala and moved it to the parking area. He needed to go to his brother but for some reason he was drained with a complete lack of energy.

Sam leaned his head back on the seat and closed his eyes he felt lethargic and unable to work up the energy necessary to get out of the car. He had no idea how long he sat there unable to gather the initiative to get up and go to Dean. It wasn't until someone reached into the open window and shook him that he realized he'd been sitting in the car far longer then he should have.

* * *

Dean opened his eyes to find Tess standing over him. "What happened?" he asked her fearfully. "Are you here to tell me I'm going to have to choose again?"

She smiled at him. "No Dean not yet," she said. "Sam saved you just as you saved him. The doctors are working on you now and you'll wake soon."

"Then why are you here?" he asked curiously. "How are you here?"

"You are dreaming," she replied. "It was the safest way to come to you. I need you to promise me something,"

"What's that?" he asked.

"The ritual you used to summon me… you have to promise never to do it again," she said. "Most of my brethren would have taken your soul for what you did."

"But not you?" Dean asked curiously.

"Not this time," she corrected. "You and your family… you've earned a pass on this one but Dean, if you do it again. I will take you."

"You saved him didn't you?" he asked her.

"Yes," she replied. "He didn't deserve that fate. I couldn't leave him in such torment."

"Is he going to be okay?" Dean asked her.

"In time," she told him. "The book needs to be destroyed Dean so this can not happen again and the mask should also be taken care of, though it can not be destroyed it can be removed from temptation."

"Why can't it be destroyed?" he asked.

"Because the magic that made it was strong and it is made with Cowrey shells. They can not be safely destroyed. The magic of the binding spell will always remain in them. It must be lost so that none will ever find it."

"I'll take care of it," he told her. "Tess, I… thank you."

"You are welcome," she said reaching her hand out to touch the side of his head gently.

Fear momentarily played across his features as he thought she might take him anyway. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Don't worry," she told him. "I'm only going to help you wake up."

"But…" what he'd been about to say was cut off as her hand touched his face and she vanished. He woke suddenly and painfully as the doctors worked to stabilize him.

* * *

"Sir," the nurse who'd come to Sam asked. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Sam told her. "Just tired."

Your brother is awake and insisting on seeing you before he allows us to continue treatment. He's… a bit stubborn."

Sam snickered at her comment. "Is he going to be okay?" he asked wearily as he climbed unsteadily from the car.

"Yes, we've stabilized him but he's refusing further treatment until he speaks with you," she said. "Can you come with me please?"

Sam followed the nurse into the hospitals emergency trauma center. He rolled his eyes as he heard his brother yelling, "Get away from me you freaking quack! Where the hell is my brother?"

"Dean," Sam said entering the room. "What do you think you're doing? You need to let them help you."

Dean sighed and relaxed a little as he saw and heard his little brother. "Sammy," he said. "Thank God. How are you?"

**A/N Thanks again for taking the time to read! Hope you're enjoying it. Please review and let me know how I'm doing.**


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy torturing them from time to time._

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Twelve:**

"Am I alright?" he practically shouted. "Dean, you scared me to death, I found you lying on the ground half dead and you want to know if I'm alright?"

"Yeah," Dean said grinning at his brother and looking around at the medical staff still in the room.

Sam took the hint. "I'm fine Dean," he said, "just tired. For some reason all I want to do is sleep."

At Sam's reply the doctor who was in the room turned to him and asked, "Young man did you hit your head in the accident? Perhaps you should let us examine you too."

Before Sam could reply Dean spoke up. "No doc," he said. "It's not that. He wasn't in the accident." He looked guiltily at Sam before continuing, "He'd been having trouble sleeping so he took a few sleeping pills just before I called him for help."

A look of pure confusion crossed Sam's face as he glanced at Dean. Then his expression changed to a look of concern and he turned to the doctor and said. "Yeah, I wasn't expecting for this to happen. I thought I'd be able to sleep for several hours undisturbed. How's my brother doing?"

"Well," the doctor replied. "As you can see we had to give him whole blood. He lost a lot of his own from the laceration. It's stitched and bandaged. We have the bleeding under control but he won't let us send him to radiology for the necessary x-rays to ensure he hasn't broken anything. We did a full blood panel and are waiting on the results for that. We also want to do a full MRI scan of his head and internal organs to ensure none were damaged during the impact."

Sam looked at his brother. Dean looked haggard and for some reason he looked like he hadn't slept in a few days. He looked at the doctor again and said, "And he's being an ass and not letting you do any of it right?"

The doctor laughed, "Sounds like you know him very well."

"Yeah," Sam replied seeing the look Dean gave him that said he'd pay for the comment later. "This isn't the first time he's been hurt."

"Well," the doctor continued this time speaking to Dean. "Can we get those tests done now?"

"Sam," Dean asked. "You gonna be okay?"

Sam was confused by a lot of things right now but his brother's obvious worry about him seemed to be going beyond his normal level of concern. Something serious must have happened but for the life of him Sam had no idea what it was. For that matter he had no idea how they'd gotten from the gift shop to the warehouse. He must have been unconscious he just didn't know what had happened. "I'll be fine Dean. Let them finish and we can get out of here."

"You sure?" Dean asked.

Sam stared at his brother giving him a look of exasperation.

"Alright," Dean said holding his hands up in the classic sign of surrender. "I'm just making sure." Dean looked at the doctor and told him. "I'm all yours, but Sam's not leaving my sight."

Sam rolled his eyes, "Dean…"

"No Sam," Dean said wearily. "No arguments."

Sam did the only thing he could do at that point. He agreed to his brother's demands because it didn't matter how tired he was. Dean needed him to stay close so that's what Dean got… but he damn well better explain what the hell was going on just as soon as they were alone. Sam was beginning to get the feeling that something big had happened and he'd missed it all.

Dean was in the MRI room getting his tests done while Sam stood outside the room looking through the large picture window set in place for family members to see what was happening. Sam's phone rang. Pulling it out of his pocket and answering it he said, "Hello."

"Hey Sam, its Allie what happened?" she said. "I thought you were going to call me last night."

Last night? Sam thought to himself. He'd just seen Allie a few hours ago what the hell was she talking about? "Um Allie," he said. "I'm going to have to call you back."

"Look Sam," she said. "If you don't want…"

"Allie," Sam said realizing she thought he was blowing her off. "It's not like that. It's just Dean had an accident. I'm at the hospital with him now."

"Oh," she said. "I'm so sorry. Is he going to be okay?"

"Yeah, but I need to get back to him. I'll call you later."

"Sure Sam."

Sam hung up the phone looking at it curiously. He opened the calendar on his phone and was shocked to realize that he had somehow lost more then a day's worth of time. More then thirty hours had passed since they'd broken into the gift shop at Lion Country Safari. "What the hell is going on?" Sam asked out loud.

Sam watched through the window as his brother was put into the MRI. This was going to take several minutes so Sam felt safe stepped into the men's room that was only a few feet away. He needed to splash some cold water on his face to keep himself awake.

He stepped up to the sink and for the first time got a good look at himself in the mirror. "God," he said to himself. "No wonder he keeps asking if I'm okay." He nearly didn't recognize the person staring back at him. He looked haggard, more exhausted then he'd seen himself look. The dark circles under his eyes, which were both dilated, did nothing to improve the appearance.

Then he noticed the blood on his shirt. He stared at realizing something was wrong. He understood the blood on his sleeves. That was from when he was trying to stop his brother from bleeding. The blood on his chest though it looked more like it had been sprayed there or maybe cast off from something.

Then as he stood there staring at the blood things began to make a terrible kind of sense. He remembered Dean's reaction to him when he'd first regained consciousness. It had been fear Dean had actually backed away from him.

Suddenly Sam knew what had to have happened. He did it. He'd stabbed his brother even though he didn't remember doing it. He backed up away from his own image away from what was staring him in the face. He couldn't breath. His breaths started coming in short gasps as he realized he'd nearly killed Dean. "Oh God," he said to himself as his back struck the wall behind him. "What did I do?"

He sank slowly to the floor his knees pulled up close to his body. His arms wrapped around his knees. He began rocking back and forth not even noticing that his head was striking the wall. No realizing he was repeating the same thing over and over again. "What did I do?"

**A/N - Here you go! Enjoy. I'll try to have another chapter up sometime tomorrow. Please feel free to review and tell me what you think so far.**


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy torturing them from time to time._

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Thirteen:**

The MRI was completed and Dean was moved from the machine back to the wheel chair that had been used to transport him to Radiology. He looked up at the window expecting to see Sam watching and frowned when he couldn't find his brother.

"Where's my brother?" he demanded of the tech and transporter that were in the room with him. "Where the hell did he go?"

"Relax," the transporter replied. "I saw him go into the rest room just a few minutes ago."

The stopped in the hall to wait for Sam but after a few minutes with no sign of Sam coming out Dean was beginning to worry. Something was wrong… he knew it in his bones. He stood up grabbing the poll of the IV that was attached to his arm.

"Whoa," the transporter said. "I'm not supposed to let you get out of the wheelchair."

Dean just gave the man a withering look and he backed off. Knocking on the door he said, "Sammy." His brother didn't reply but he could hear a constant mummer coming from inside. Dean tried the handle and was relieved to find the door unlocked. He opened the door and saw his brother sitting on the floor rocking back and forth and whispering something that he couldn't quite make out.

"Sammy," he said kneeling down next to him. "What's wrong?" Sam still didn't answer his brother. Dean noted the glazed unfocused look in Sam's eyes and he was close enough now to hear what his brother was whispering.

"Is he okay?" the transporter asked. "Should I get someone to help?"

"He'll be fine," Dean said. "I just need to talk to him… alone." He closed the door giving him and his brother some privacy. Then he reached up and grabbed his brother by the shoulders wincing in pain as the movement jarred his wound. "Sammy," he said and shook him gently.

Sam stopped speaking and his eyes wavered towards his brother but he didn't reply and he still didn't seem to be seeing Dean.

"Damn it Sam," Dean said quietly. "Don't do this. Come on man you didn't do anything." Dean shook his brother again. "Sammy snap out of it," he said a bit louder this time.

Sam shook his head, his eyes met those of his brother and Dean could tell he was there again. "I did," Sam said hoarsely. "I did this to you. Dean I…" Fear and self loathing stood out starkly on his face as he spoke. "I'm evil…" he whispered so quietly that Dean almost didn't hear him.

"No Sammy," Dean told his brother. "It wasn't you."

Sam pulled away from his brother afraid of what he might unknowingly do to him. "I knew it would happen… I told you what the demon was trying to do."

"Damn it Sammy it wasn't you!" Dean growled as Sam backed further away from him. He knew Sam thought the demon had caused this. That it was changing him.

"You can't lie to me Dean," Sam told him. "I'm covered in blood, your blood and you… you were afraid of me. I saw it… you…"

Dean silently cursed himself for his reaction when he'd regained consciousness in the warehouse. "Sam, the demon didn't have anything to do with this. It was the mask and… it wasn't you."

"Dean…"

"No Sam, listen to me," he said. "The mask held another soul something dark. It had been imprisoned there for centuries. When you grabbed it…" Dean grew quiet remembering the pain and fear on Sam's face. "The thing in the mask it switched you."

Sam was having a difficult time figuring out what his brother was telling him, his thoughts were scattered and unfocused. "I hurt you," he told his brother.

"No," Dean told him again more forcefully this time. "It wasn't you… that's what I'm trying to tell you. The thing in the mask it switched places with you. It imprisoned you in the mask and took your place. It wasn't you that hurt me Sam. You couldn't have done it you were in the mask."

Sam remembered the burning pain… pain that seemed to go on for eternity. "How?" he asked.

"I don't know how it did it, but it's my fault I should have been the one to handle the mask. My Amulet would have protected me from it," he said.

"Dean…" Sam automatically started to deny his brother's fault in the matter but as usual he was interrupted.

"Come on Sam," Dean said. "Can we finish this up later? I really think I need to get back out there before that guy that brought me down for the MRI gets the bright idea to come barging in here. He smirked at his brother. "I'm not sure I want him catching us sitting on the floor in such a compromising position."

Sam looked at his brother and for the first time realized how painful this had to be for him. "Oh God Dean," he said. "I'm sorry… you must hurt like hell."

"No," he denied as Sam stood and helped him up. "Good pain meds." His words though were belied by the grimace that crossed his face briefly as he stood.

"Yeah," Sam told him. "I can see that."

Dean opened the door to find the transporter standing there his hand raised ready to knock. "We're coming," he told the guy. He took his seat back in the wheelchair and allowed the man to push him back to the ER. "Hey Sam," he said to his brother.

"What?" Sam asked.

"When we're done here I'm going to sleep for like two days."

"Me too," Sam said. "I don't know how, but somehow what happened made me so tired I'm having trouble keeping my eyes opened."

Dean grinned at his brother. He knew it was the drugs he'd been pumping into his brother's body, that was making him so tired but he wasn't about to tell Sam that.

Back in the ER room they waited as patiently as possible for the doctor to return with the results of Dean's tests. That is to say that Dean griped and grumbled the entire time about how slow things moved in the hospital and Sam sat quietly watching his brother's discomfort. He knew Dean hated hospitals and since the death of their father that hadn't improved at all. So it was a relief when the doctor returned stating that all Dean's tests came back okay.

"Great," Dean replied. "Then I can get out of here."

"Well no," the doctor told him. "I'd like to admit you overnight for observation just to make sure we haven't missed anything."

"But you said he was alright," Sam said.

"No," the doctor told him. "I said the tests came back okay. That doesn't mean we didn't miss something, which is easy enough to do in a case like this."

"Doesn't matter," Dean said. "I'm not staying."

"Young man I really think…"

"I'll sign the AMA papers Doc," he told the man. "But I'm leaving."

Judging by the young man's earlier reactions the doctor had known that was what Dean would say. So he'd already had the nursing staff preparing the necessary paperwork. "Fine," he told his young patient. "I figured that would be your reaction. The discharge nurse is already working on it. She is also going to give you instructions on caring for that wound and two prescriptions I want you to fill. One is an antibiotic to prevent infection and the other is for the pain."

Thirty minutes later the brothers were walking out of the ER to the Impala. Dean stopped short when he caught sight of it. "Oh, no!" he said looking at the broken, shattered windshield. "I'm sorry girl." Then he turned to Sam and said. "We are going to have to get this fixed."

Sam just shook his head at his brother's antics. Dean treated this car like a living breathing person… like a member of the family. He grinned thinking of all the things they been through with the Impala. It really was a member of the family. It had been since before he was born. "Don't worry Dean," he told his brother. "I saw a windshield repair place near the motel. We can get it fixed on the way back."

"Yeah," his brother replied. "But we have a stop to make first."

"Where?" Sam asked.

"The warehouse," Dean replied. "We need to pick up a couple of things we left there."

It didn't take long to get back to the warehouse. When they walked in both were relieved to find nothing had been disturbed since they'd left.

Getting out of the car Sam walked to the center of the room and he took note of the things that lay scattered on the floor. "Dean," he said to his brother. "This is… was an alter… a dark alter. What was that thing doing? Was it summoning something?"

Dean sighed and looked at his brother. "It didn't build the alter Sam," he replied. "I did."

**A/N - Wow, another chapter or two and this story should be complete! That's good because those damn plot bunnies are running around in my head and giving me a headache! Thanks again for reading and let me know what you think!**


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy torturing them from time to time.

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Fourteen:**

Sammy was so stunned by Dean's announcement that he simply stared at his brother unable to believe what he'd just heard. He shook his head in denial and looked around at the items from the alter that were scattered across the floor. His eyes came to rest on a little black book that lay on the ground near where he was standing.

He reached down and picked up the book recognizing it immediately. He knew what the ritual in this book was used for. "No Dean," he choked out. "Please tell me you didn't… you aren't…" Sam's eyes pleaded with Dean to take back what he'd said, to tell him it was all some sick joke.

"Sam," his brother replied quietly. "I had too. It was the only way to get you back."

Sam stalked angrily up to his brother. He reached out suddenly grabbing his bandaged hand and ripped the bandage off of it. He closed his eyes at the sight of the self inflicted wound on his brother's palm. "Oh God," he whispered. "You did."

The look of complete horror on Sam's face was devastating for Dean. "Sammy," he repeated. "It was the only way, even Bobby and Ash agreed. I wouldn't have done it if there was another way." He watched his brother closely not knowing what to expect. He knew he'd failed him… knew Sam was disappointed at the choice he'd made. But it didn't matter. Sam was back and that's what counted. They would work everything else out later. Dean was totally unprepared for Sam's reaction when it came.

"No!" Sam shouted fiercely at him grabbing him by the shirt and nearly lifting him off his feet. "She can't have you! You tell her! If she came for me then she's taking me. I won't let her trade... I won't!" He shoved his brother against the car. "How could you! After what Dad did to you! Did you think I'd let you?" Sam was breathing heavily as his angry shouting came to an end. He had Dean pinned to the car. His brother wasn't fighting him at all. He just shook his head.

The color drained from Dean's face as he listened to Sam's tirade. Understanding washed over him as he realized what Sam thought he'd done. "Sam no… it's not like that." He tried desperately to make his brother understand. "I didn't make a trade. I'm not going anywhere."

It took a few seconds for understanding to penetrate the anger that engulfed him… for what Dean had told him to sink in. Slowly though, it did. And as understanding crept into him Sam released his brother his anger turning to confusion.

"Sammy," Dean said anxiously. "I summoned her that's all, I swear. I just needed her help."

"What for?" Sam asked trying to figure out what had happened.

"The mask," Dean told him. "I needed her to get your soul out of the mask."

Sam leaned on the car and ran his hand through his hair. "I think you need to start at the beginning," he told his brother with a sigh.

"How much do you remember?" Dean asked his brother as he leaned on the car next to him.

"I recall going to the gift shop. We found the mask, I reached for it… Then just… pain… burning pain," he replied. "It… it lasted forever."

"That's my fault Sam," Dean said rubbing his necklace. "I'm sorry. I should have been the one to handle the mask. My amulet would have protected me."

"You had no way of knowing Dean," Sam told his brother. "We couldn't have known… besides, I'm the one that did the research on this one. What was in the mask? What happened, I seem to have lost around thirty hours."

"A very pissed off soul. From what I've been able to figure out it's been trapped in the mask for centuries. Somehow when you held the mask it was able to switch places with you. It put your soul in the mask."

Now that he wasn't moving around and was beginning to relax Sam was growing tired again. He was having to concentrate to follow what his brother was saying. "How?"

"I'm not sure how," Dean told him. "But the thing knew how to steal souls. I had to find a way to switch you back. I spent hours combing web sites looking for information on how to fix it. I even had Bobby and Ash working on it. Ancient Shaman from Africa were said to have the ability to do it, but I couldn't find one."

Sam rubbed his eyes. "What ever the damn thing did to me, I'm tired… I've never felt this tired in my life."

Dean smiled at his brother. "Um… it didn't do that," he said. "I did."

"What?"

"The damn thing was in your body. I couldn't hurt it so I… I drugged it…"

"You drugged me?!"

"No," Dean said patiently. "I drugged Kindoki."

"Kindoki?"

"That's what it called itself," Dean replied. "Anyway… Like I said I looked for hours and I couldn't find any way of switching you back. Then Ash sent me an e-mail. He said the only thing he knew of that could do it was a reaper. Bobby said the same thing."

"It was too dangerous," Sam told his brother. "What if it had…?"

"It didn't Sam," Dean told his brother. "Everything worked out okay, everything's fine."

Sam shook his head at the danger Dean had put himself into for him. When he thought of what could have gone wrong it scared the hell out him. A thought occurred to him. "How did you convince her to do it if you didn't bind her?" Sam asked.

"She owed me," he told his brother. "I just made her understand that."

"What do you mean she owed you?" Sam asked. "How can a reaper owe you?"

"Apparently Tess is our family reaper," Dean explained. "She's the one who took dad instead of me."

"I thought you couldn't remember what happened with the reaper in the hospital?"

"I didn't… until I saw her." Dean said. He didn't want to go into the whole story. He just wished he could forget the hospital and everything that happened there. To get off the painful subject he continued his story. "Anyway, long story short… while I distracted the damn thing Tess was able to get close enough to take its soul and put yours back where it belonged."

Sam looked around the warehouse. "How'd you distract it? By pretending to be a punching bag for the damn thing?"

"More like a bouncing ball," Dean muttered.

"What was that?"

"I said it used telekinesis," his brother lied. "The damn thing was a very strong psychic. It wasn't easy to work around that. That's why I had to drug it."

Dean walked over to the mask and picked it up. "I told Tess I'd do something with this so it couldn't be used again."

"What are you going to do with it?" Sam said. "We can't burn it. It's made with Cowry shells. You can't even just break it."

"I know." Dean said. "I have an idea, but it can wait until after we've both gotten some sleep." He went to the trunk and pulled out the lighter fluid and matches. Then he took the little black book from his brother and burned it until there was nothing left but ashes.

"Why'd you do that?" Sam asked curiously having considered doing the same thing himself.

"Just keeping a promise," Dean told him. "Come on, you can show me where the shop is to get my girl fixed up then we're going to the motel."

"Good," Sam said. "Because I feel like I can sleep for a week.

_**A/N – Okay… one more chapter should finish this one up and free me to work some more on Murder in Montana. Thanks for reading and please review!**_


	15. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I merely enjoy torturing them from time to time._

**Mullet Rock**

**Chapter Fifteen:**

Sam sat on the edge of his bed in the motel room working up the energy to strip down and get ready for bed. Dean was already in bed lying on his side wearily watching his brother. This one had been close, very close for both of them. He had almost lost Sammy this time. He would have to be more careful in the future.

Sam's phone rang disturbing the quiet that had settled over the room. He picked it up, looked at the caller I.D. and answered. "Hello," he said.

"Hi Sam," Allie said. "How's your brother?"

"Hey Allie," Sam replied. "He's going to be fine."

"That's good," she said. "How long is he going to be in the hospital?"

"He's out, but neither of us has had much rest the past couple of days. We really need to get some sleep," Sam told her. "Can I call you tomorrow?"

"Yeah," she said. "I'd like that."

"Alright, I'll talk to you then," he said.

"Goodnight Sam," she told him.

"Goodnight Allie," he answered her before clicking the phone off.

"How do you do it Sammy?" Dean asked his brother.

A look of pure confusion shown on Sam's face as he asked, "Do what?"

"How do you always get the clingy, damsel in distress kind of girls?" Dean asked his brother.

Sam laughed. "What are you talking about?"

"You always seem to get the girls that call you just to talk, or the ones we need to rescue. How is that those girls are almost always attracted to you?"

"Natural selection," Sam told his brother with a grin. "The same way you always get the ones that only want… you know what you're after."

Dean rolled over a huge grin splitting his face in spite of the pain in his side. "Mmmm, good times," he told his brother.

Sam threw one of the pillows on his bed at his brother who caught it with a laugh and added it to the two he already had.

"Come on Sammy," Dean told his brother. "Time for some much earned sleep."

Sam finished getting ready for bed, climbed under the covers and turned off the light. Before he drifted off to sleep he thought of one more question for his brother. "Dean," he asked. "How are we going to get rid of the mask?"

"We're going to do a little sight seeing," Dean replied cryptically. "Don't worry Sammy, I've got it covered."

The brother fell silent each drifting peacefully into some much needed, well deserved sleep. It was more then fourteen hours before Dean woke up sore and in pain, but that was nothing new to him. He looked at the clock, then at Sam still sleeping peacefully on his bed. The drugs should be out of his brothers system by now so the sleep is brother was getting at this point should be normal sleep.

Dean sat up on his bed stifling a groan at the pain it caused him. He grabbed his overnight bag and headed into the restroom for a long hot shower. He stripped his clothes off and for the first time got a good look at his injuries. The worst was of course the knife wound that ran from the front of his chest around the side almost to his back. The doctor had done a good job on the stitches using small cross stitches that would leave the least amount of scaring. They'd covered it with a water proof bandage that looked like it was made from saran wrap.

His back was a mottling of bruises that colored his back in shades that ran from an ugly yellow to a dark blue black. He had a nice bruise on his head too but most of it was hidden by his hair. A bunch of small cuts ran the length of his arms with several on his back and legs as well. He knew from experience too that the doctors had not been able to get all the glass fragments out so he'd be picking glass out of his body for several weeks to come.

He turned the shower onto warm waited for it to reach a comfortable temperature and slowly stepped under the spray. Thankfully the water pressure at this motel wasn't very good. Normally he'd be complaining about it but this time he was very glad for the gentle flow of water that came from the showerhead. It was painful enough, any stronger and he wasn't sure if he could have endured it.

When he was done he gently dried himself off and dressed before leaving the restroom. As soon as he opened the door, with out looking he said, "Come on Sammy, your turn for the shower."

He looked over at his brothers' bed. It was empty and a quick look around the room told him his brother was not here and just that quickly panic began to set in. That is until he heard the key in the door. Letting lose a sigh of relief he watched his brother walk in with two cups of steaming hot coffee.

Dean decided not to mention that he had nearly just lost it when he found his brother gone. Instead he took a cup from his brother inhaled deeply and said, "Ah, nectar of the Gods!"

Sam grinned at his brother, "Figured we could both use the caffeine. We slept for more then twelve hours. Last time I did that was back at Stanford the day after final exams. I hadn't slept for three days."

"Thanks," Dean told his brother. "Why don't you hit the shower then we'll grab a bite to eat and take care of the mask. When we're done maybe we'll call Sandra and Allie, see if they want to get together."

After a good meal at a local restraunt the brothers made a stop at the Home Depot that was just around the corner from the restraunt. A bag of cement a couple of gallons of water, a large bucket and some superglue completed the items they'd need to get rid of the mask once and for all.

As he mixed the cement into the bucket Sam asked, "Where are we going to do this?"

"I figured Lake Okeechobee would be good," Dean replied. "It's either that or we take an airboat ride in the everglades." He watched as his brother completed the mixture. When he felt like it was good enough he pulled the mask out of the trunk and sank it into the cement.

Sam backed away from the mask as Dean pressed it deep into the large bucket. Dean didn't blame his brother. Even though the mask was now empty, he didn't want to handle it either but it had to be done he was protected. Once Dean was done Sam applied liberal amounts of superglue to the rim of the bucket then placed the lid on top, picked up the bucket and put it into the trunk.

The drive to the lake was actually pretty scenic. Apparently Lake Okeechobee is a major source of water feeding the everglades so most of the drive was through the swamp lands that made up the northern most portions of the everglades.

They rented a boat and took the bucket out to the deepest part of the lake. As they were cruising past the shoreline Dean looked in awe at the sheer number of alligators that lined the banks of the lake. They were lined up one after the other in a never ending row of long black bodies. "Dude," he said to his brother pointing at the creatures. "Check it out, I'd hate to capsize this thing or sink it we'd end up as gator bait."

"Yeah," Sam said with a smirk. "That would bite."

When Dean was satisfied with their location he stopped the boat and looked at his brother. "You want to do the honors?"

"Hell yes!" He told his brother. Picking the heavy bucket up from the bottom of the boat Sam pulled the handle off the bucket and tossed it to his brother. "Don't want to leave this on, some fishermen might catch it and bring it back up." Then with out further thought he pushed the bucket over the edge and watched it sink out of sight.

"Good riddance," Dean said as he started the boat up and headed back to the dock. "Hey Sam," said to his brother after several minutes of silence. "I think we need a vacation from our vacation. What say tomorrow we start looking for another hunt?"

"Sounds like a damn good idea," he said with a laugh. His brother was right, this hadn't been much of a vacation. But they still had tonight and the double date he'd once been dreading was actually starting to sound like a pretty good idea… of course by morning he would probably change his mind altogether about that. For now though, he was looking forward to an evening in the company of a pretty girl named Allie.

End –

**A/N – Well the only reason it took so long to get this chapter up was because I had a couple of silly plot bunnies running around in my head and had to write two short stories first. (_A Means of Protection_ and _A Hunt Gone Bad_). Now I can work freely on _Murder in Montana_ and get that story past its first chapter! Thank you so much for reading and please feel free to review!**


End file.
